This is the third part of my blog for my Midwest statebirding trip – Michigan and the Kirtland’s Warbler. The first two parts were for the Ohio and Ontario parts of the trip; the fourth part is for the Indiana leg.
Day 4 – Evening Stops Near Grayling
The rain stayed with me almost the entire way from Ontario to Grayling, eventually stopping just 30 minutes before getting to the area. My plan was to make a couple evening stops in the area for some MI statebirds, and target the Kirtland’s Warblers for the next day. My first planned stop was at the western end of Houghton Lake at a spot where Ospreys were nesting. As I got onto the exit ramp from the highway I noticed an interesting soaring raptor overhead. I was able to safely get to the shoulder and with binocs realized it was a Goshawk – a good bird and lucky spotting. MI statebird #1. A couple minutes later I arrived at the marsh and it was 43 degrees and the wind was howling out of the northwest – quite a change from the 80 degrees and humid conditions when I left Pelee. Luckily I quickly found an Osprey on a nearby platform (#2) so I jumped back in the car to warm up. After a brief stop to buy a pair of gloves to keep my hands warm, I headed to a nearby spot where Golden-wings had been reported on e-bird. No luck with the Golden-wings (though habitat seemed good), but I did have the first of many singing Veerys (#3). With so many Veerys around it made me wonder why I needed this species for my state list. My Veery statebird map now pretty well matches the breeding range for this bird, though I still need it in a few states where it is a regular migrant.
Next stop was to head to the Houghton Lake WRA and the Nellsville Boardwalk where a number of my target birds have been reported on e-bird – Snipe, Sedge Wren, Yellow Rail, and Golden-wing. With directions from the birdfinding guide I eventually found what was supposed to be the beginning of the trail. But then the trail seemed to die off in the marsh with water too deep for my willies. I never did find the boardwalk and none of my targets either. After a quick dinner I had just enough time to try for Trumpeter Swan at nearby Crooked Lake where swans had been reported recently on e-bird. The lake was situated in a nice mixed forest which looked like great habitat. My first view of the lake did not reveal any large white birds, but I did have the first of several singing Pine Warblers (#4 – filling another curious gap in my MI list). I got in the car and tried to find another access point and flushed a small raptor from the ground – it was a Broad-wing which cooperatively perched right next to the car (#5). Two other stops later and still no swan. So I turned around and was heading back when I noticed a white spot on the lake out of the corner of my eye – a Trumpeter (#6). Where was it on my earlier stops? My statebird map is now starting to match up with the old and new breeding ranges of this species.
That gave me six new MI statebirds in just a few quick stops – a very successful first day.
Day 5 – Grayling and the Drive to Southern IN
Weather – Cold in the morning, highs in the 60’s, Sunny, Breezy
This was my day for Kirtlands’ Warbler. Officially Kirtland’s is on my life list, but it is based on a heard only bird in late summer more than 40 years ago – long enough ago that I don’t even have a date when I heard it. That was so many years ago and not in the typical time of year for them, that I’ve always wondered if the sighting was a good one. And even if I correctly identified the bird, it sure would be nice to actually see one. So after a bit of research I found a daily tour led by the Michigan Audubon Society out of Grayling, which they say is successful 100% of the time. But I’ve never been one to rely on tours to find my target birds, so I did additional e-bird research and picked out what seemed to be a reliable nearby spot to find them on my own – Guide’s Rest just a few miles east of Grayling. My plan was to try for them on my own at dawn that morning, and if I wasn’t successful I could still make it back in time to attend the tour.
I got to the Guide’s Rest spot a bit before dawn and found some superb classic Jack Pine habitat planted in 1994 and 1997 (see my photo of the informational sign below).
My biggest worry was the weather – although it was clear and calm it was a very cold 23 degrees. Would they still be singing in the cold? I started to drive the sandy roads listening for the warbler. The 12-15 ft tall trees were full of Nashville Warblers, with an occasional Chipping Sparrow thrown in. In the distance I could hear Ravens, a gobbling Turkey, and the tapping of a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. After about 10 minutes I finally heard a clear song of the Kirtland’s right along the road. After a few minutes of waiting, I got good looks at a foraging male and an accompanying female. After >40 years it was great to finally see them and feel good about having it on my life list. Plus I got to see them on my own without a tour.
But I decided to go on the tour anyway, hoping for even better teed up views. They gave an initial slide show that included great statistics on the success of their program and the Kirtland’s comeback (2,090 singing males in 2012 compared to around 200 just 25 years ago).
After a short drive we arrived at a field with relatively younger jack pines, and quickly heard 4 singing males, but I only got one brief glimpse of a perched bird. We also had several Clay-colored Sparrows in this field – new MI statebird #7, and the only Vesper Sparrows of the trip. I’ve seen Clay-coloreds in many of the central US states in it’s typical range, as well as a few coastal states as vagrants.
Next stop was at the Gratiot-Saginaw state game area to try again for Golden-winged Warblers. I spent a couple hours at locations listed in the birdfinding guide as Golden-winged spots, but only found 4 Blue-wings. I did get singing Ceruleans and a singing Mourning in this area though.
That was my last stop in Michigan for the day before heading down to Indiana for the next leg of my trip. I would get one more MI statebird at the end of the trip as I headed back to the Detroit airport.
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